Game apparatus



Jan. 24, 1928. r 1,657,388

H. P GORMAN GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan.'7. 1927 2 Sheets-finest 1 INVENTOR WITNESSES 7 J9 I J j gg fl G m/ I 1 ATTORNEYS Jam 24, 1928.. 1,657,388

H. P. GORMAN GAME APPARATU-S Filed Jan. 7, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A aaygz/ 6 04 0 62W ATTORNEYS HGEHAN, @F RYE, NET/V Application tiled January 2, 1922?.

llhis invention relates to games and has particular reference to a game apparatus by means at which the game or golf or analogous games may be closely simulated.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus Wl'llcll includes means tor supporting a club or; sticlc, retracting and placing the same under tension, and then releasing the same e and project a playing piece over a playing; surface.

lhe invention lurtherinore comprehends in an apparatus of the character set forth, means for regulating the retracted tension of the club-supporting means to vary the lm" pact with Which the club engages the playing; piece.

Another object is to provide a club-supporting means havin relatively movable sectms for varying the elevation of the club head With respect to the playing surface to compensate for variations in "the height of teeused or to permit of the use of the device Without a tee.

The invention furthermore contemplates in golf club or stick supporting device, means "for causing the club head to move selectively in a horizontal plane or slightly up- Ward or downward at the point of contact with the ball, whereby a straight stroke. a lifting stroke, or a down chop may be imparted as in the game of goll.

The invention furthermore resides in the provision of a retracting and tensioning means for the stick-supporting device which permits of the swinging of the club head outward and away from. the playing piece to simulate the addressing of the ball or playing piece.

Uther objects reside in the simplicity of" construction the economy With which the apparatus may be produced, and the interest and amusement afforded by the playing of the game.

lll 'ith the above recited and other objects in view, reterence is had to thetollovving specification and accompanying drawings in ich there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention which is in no way ended as a limitation upon scope of the appended cl iins it is to be clearly modifications understood o Serial No. 159,3 1?

which properly fall within the scope of said claims may be resorted to when found expedient In the drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating the device for supporting, retracting", tensioning and releasing the club or stick, in juxtaposition to a playing piece arranged on a playing surface;

2 is a side view of the club-supporting device on an enlarged scale with parts broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a front view thereof;

Fig. l is a side View similar to Fig. 2 With other parts shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the base of the device with the turntable removed;

in; 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken approximately on the line 66 of Fig. 3;

7 is a detail fragmentary view of the club-supporting section of the device With the clampingmeans illustrated in section;

8 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line 8-8 of Fig. Y

Fig. '9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Fig 3.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 10 designates a playing surface or board which is preferably provided with a blocked-off area or areas 11 having a hollow or depression 12 therein. The playing piece 13 illustrated as a ball. may be supported by a tee 14 or directly supported on the playing surface 10. A stick or club 15 having a suitably formed head 16 is employed for the purpose of striking and projecting the ball over the playing surface and in practice is supposed to employ any number of clubs or sticks having a variety of heads 16 to be used for different strokes or purposes.

In order to provide means for removably and interchangeably supporting, retracting, tensioning and releasing the club to strike and project the playing piece over the playing surface, a device desi generally by the reference character 17 is employed, which device consists of a'suitable base 18 having an upstanding boss 19. A bore 20 extends through the boss and the upper portion of the base 18 and communicates at its lower end with the recessed under side 21 of the base. A disk or turntable 22 is provided with 2. depending stem 23, which extends through the boss 19 and is provided at its lower end with a stop or abutment 24 suitably spaced from the upper wall of the recess 21 to allow for relative vertical movement of the stem and turntable. The turntable normally rests on the upper end of the boss and is turnable with respect to the base. The boss is cut away to provide a pair of circumferentially spaced substantially semicircular cam shoulders 25 and 26, while the turntable is provided with an eccentric depending pin 27, which upon turning movement of the turntable in opposite directions engages with the cam shoulders 25 and 26 to raise or lower the same. The turntable or disk 22rigidly supports on its upper surface a pair of parallel upstanding frame bars 28, the lower extremities 29 of which are preferably shaped to simulate the legs and feet of a figure. A substantially U-shaped frame section 30 is fulcrumed by means of a transverse bolt 31, to the upper ends of the frame bars 28, and a pair of arms 32 are ivoted by means of a transverse bolt 33, a jacent the upper bightportion 34 of the U-shaped frame section 30. The extremities of the arms 32 are connected together and are provided with a suitable frictional clamping means 35 which is adapted to receive and hold the upper end of the stick or club 15. In order to complete the figure, a head 36 is mounted on a stem 37 projecting upwardly from the bight portion 34 and suitable clothing 38 covering the remainder of the frame elements 28 and 30 and the arms 32 is employed. Under this arrangement it is obvious that the club or stick 15 when engaged with the clamping means 35, may be moved relative to the playing surface 10 to dispose the head 16 of the club in the proper striking relation to the ball or playing piece 13.

In-order to provide means for retracting the club head from the ball or playing piece and placing the frame sections and the turntable under tension for subsequent release to swing and strike the ball, the turntable is formed with an upstanding axial hub 39 which hub is formed with flanges 40 at its upper and lower ends. A coiled spring 41 surrounds the hub and is provided with opposite angularly and radially projecting terminals 42 and 43, the former terminal 42 engaging with one of the extremities 29 of the frame bars 28. The latter terminal 43, which is of greater length, is formed into an eye 44 to constitute a finger engaging portion. The

periphery of the turntable is provided with a plurality of rigid notches 45 circumferentially spaced and adapted to selectively receive therein a portion of the terminal 43 to place the spring under tension.

In use and operation, the ball or playing piece 13 is supported directly upon the playing surface 10 or indirectly therefrom by means of a tee 14. The player then p051- tions the device 17 on the pla ing surface at a point adjacent the ball or p aying piece 13. The frame section 30 and the arms 32 are relatively adjusted to dispose the head 16 of the club in proper relation to the ball. The player then engages the terminal 43 with the desired ratchet notch 45 of the turntable and swings the turntable together with the supported club, so that the club head moves toward and away from the ball, simulating the addressing of the same as in golf. When the desired point is reached, the player retracts the club head by turning the turntable and lifts upwardly on the extremity 43 to disengage the same from the ratchet notch, thereby permitting the spring to rapidly turn the turntable in a direction to advance the club head toward the ball so that it forcibly contacts therewith and projects the same over the playing surface. If the player is not careful to observe the position of the cam shoulders 25 and 26', he may either top the ball or hit sufliciently below the center of the same to spoil the shot. In order to indicate the position of the shoulders, a suitable mark or indicium 46 is inscribed on the base so that the same may be used to gage the shot to be made. If it is desired to have the club move upwardly at the point of contact of the same with the ball, the base is set using the mark 46 as a gage for this purpose. If it is desired to have the club move downwardly at its point of contact with the ball, the base is set accordingly. If it is desired to have the club move in a horizontal plane at the time of its contact with the ball, the base will be set in such a manner that the pin 27 will be moving at a point between the cam shoulders when the club head strikes the ball. It will also be noted that in order to more closely simulate the action in a game of golf, the shoulders function to effect a slight elevation at the beginning andend of each stroke. As heretofore explained, a set of clubs havin differently formed heads may be furnishe with the game to be interchangeably used with the device 17.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus including a playin piece, a club for striking the same, and means for supporting, retracting, tensioning and releasing the club to strike and project the playing piece over a playing surface, said means comprising a base turntable mounted on the base for vertical and turning movements, a frame on the turntable having relatively movable pivotall connected sections, means at the free en of one section for removably holding the club, and means for tensioning the turntable to retract the club, whereby upon subsequent repiece, a club for striking the same, and

means for supporting, retracting, tensioning and releasing the club to strike and project .the playing piece over a playing surface. .said means comprising a base, a turntable mounted on the base, for vertical and turning movements, a frame on the turntable having relatively movable pivotally connected sections, means at the free end of one section for removably holding the club, and.

means for tensioning the turntable to re-.

v tract the club whereby upon subsequent, re-j lease thereof. forcible striking and pro ec having relatively movable pivotally connected sections, means at the free end of one section for removably holding the club, and means for tensioning the turntable to retract the club whereby upon subsequent release thereof forcible striking and projection of the playing piece over a playing surface is effected, the said turntable and base having interengageable means for causing relative upward and downward movements of the turntable during the turning movement thereof, said means consisting of cam shoulders formed on the base and a depending pin formed on the turntable.

4. A game apparatus including a playing piece, a club for striking the same, and means for supporting, retracting, tensioning and releasing the club to strike and project the playing piece over a playing surface, said means comprising a base, a turntable mounted on the base for vertical and turn: ing movements, a frame on the turntable having relatively movable pivotall connected sections, means at the free en of one section for removably holding the club, and means for tensioning the turntable to retract the club, whereby upon subsequent release thereof forcible striking and projection of the playing piece over a playing surface is effected, said latter means consisting of an upwardly-projecting hub on the turntable, a coiled spring surrounding the same having annular and radial'terminals, one of which abuts with the frame, the turntable having peripheral ratchet notches with which the opposite terminal of the spring is selectively engaged for adjustably tensioning the turntable.

5. In a game apparatus, means for supporting a club adapted to strike and projecta playing piece over a playing surface, Said means comprising a base, a turntable mounted on the base for vertical and turning movements, a frame on the turntable having relatively movable pivotally connected sections, means at the free end of one section for holding the club, and means for tensioning the turntable to retract the club whereby upon subsequent release thereof forcible striking and projection of the playing piece over the playing surface is effected.

6. In a game apparatus, means for supporting a club adapted to strike and roject a playing piece over a playing sur ace, said means comprising a case, a turntable mounted on the base for vertical and turning movements, a frame on the turntable having relativelyv movable pivotally connected sections, means at the free end of one section for holding the club, and means for adjustably tensioning the. turntable to retract the club whereby upon subsequent release thereof forcible striking and projection of the playing piece over the playing surface is effected.

7. In a game apparatus including a playing piece and a club for striking the same; a device for supporting the club, comprising a base, a turntable mounted on the base for vertical and turning movements, a frame on the turntable for holding the. club, and

means for tensioning the turntable upon re- HORACE P. GORMAN. 

